diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 48df404605..6c7fbb8e5d 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ SUBDIRS = \
 	libgimpwidgets		\
 	libgimp			\
 	app			\
+	app-tools		\
 	$(GIMP_MODULES)		\
 	$(GIMP_PLUGINS)		\
 	etc			\
diff --git a/app-tools/.gitignore b/app-tools/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a178f143e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app-tools/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/Makefile
+/Makefile.in
+/.deps
+/.libs
+/gimp-debug-tool-2.0
+/gimp-debug-tool-2.0.exe
diff --git a/app-tools/Makefile.am b/app-tools/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7195d364f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app-tools/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+
+libapp = $(top_builddir)/app/libapp.a
+libappwidgets = $(top_builddir)/app/widgets/libappwidgets.a
+
+if PLATFORM_OSX
+xobjective_c = "-xobjective-c"
+endif
+
+if OS_WIN32
+bin_PROGRAMS = gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
+else
+
+if PLATFORM_OSX
+bin_PROGRAMS = gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
+else
+libexec_PROGRAMS = gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
+endif
+
+endif
+
+
+gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_SOURCES = \
+	gimp-debug-tool.c
+
+gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_CPPFLAGS = \
+	-DCC_VERSION=\""$(CC_VERSION)"\"	\
+	-I$(top_srcdir)/app			\
+	-I$(top_builddir)/app			\
+	$(AM_CPPFLAGS)				\
+	$(GIO_CFLAGS)				\
+	$(GEGL_CFLAGS)				\
+	$(GTK_CFLAGS)				\
+	$(FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS)
+
+gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_LDADD = \
+	$(libappwidgets)	\
+	$(libapp)		\
+	$(GIO_LIBS)		\
+	$(GEGL_LIBS)		\
+	$(GTK_LIBS)		\
+	$(FONTCONFIG_LIBS)
+
+
+AM_CPPFLAGS = \
+	-DGIMP_APP_VERSION=\"@GIMP_APP_VERSION@\"		\
+	-DLOCALEDIR=\""$(gimplocaledir)"\"			\
+	-DPREFIX=\""$(prefix)"\"				\
+	-DEXEC_PREFIX=\""$(exec_prefix)"\"			\
+	-DBINDIR=\""$(bindir)"\"				\
+	-DSBINDIR=\""$(sbindir)"\"				\
+	-DLIBEXECDIR=\""$(libexecdir)"\"			\
+	-DDATADIR=\""$(datadir)"\"				\
+	-DDATAROOTDIR=\""$(datarootdir)"\"			\
+	-DSYSCONFDIR=\""$(sysconfdir)"\"			\
+	-DSHAREDSTATEDIR=\""$(sharedstatedir)"\"		\
+	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\""$(localstatedir)"\"			\
+	-DLIBDIR=\""$(libdir)"\"				\
+	-DINFODIR=\""$(infodir)"\"				\
+	-DMANDIR=\""$(mandir)"\"				\
+	-DGIMPPLUGINDIR=\""$(gimpplugindir)"\"			\
+	-DGIMPDATADIR=\""$(gimpdatadir)"\"			\
+	-DCC=\""$(CC)"\"					\
+	-DGIMPDIR=\""$(gimpdir)"\"				\
+	-DGIMP_PLUGIN_VERSION=\""$(GIMP_PLUGIN_VERSION)"\"	\
+	-I$(top_srcdir)						\
+	$(GTK_CFLAGS)						\
+	-I$(includedir)						\
+	$(xobjective_c)
diff --git a/tools/gimp-debug-tool.c b/app-tools/gimp-debug-tool.c
similarity index 100%
rename from tools/gimp-debug-tool.c
rename to app-tools/gimp-debug-tool.c
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 37a72b92ad..73cf927f85 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2538,6 +2538,7 @@ app/tests/gimpdir/Makefile
 app/tests/gimpdir/brushes/Makefile
 app/tests/gimpdir/gradients/Makefile
 app/tests/gimpdir/patterns/Makefile
+app-tools/Makefile
 build/Makefile
 build/windows/Makefile
 build/windows/gimp.rc
diff --git a/tools/.gitignore b/tools/.gitignore
index 483502ea63..5e454aae92 100644
--- a/tools/.gitignore
+++ b/tools/.gitignore
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 /kernelgen
 /gimptool-2.0
 /gimptool-2.0.exe
-/gimp-debug-tool-2.0
-/gimp-debug-tool-2.0.exe
 /test-clipboard
 /test-clipboard.exe
 /invert-svg
diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index e841daf5e9..e61b34ad90 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ endif
 if OS_WIN32
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = \
-	gimptool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@		\
-	gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@	\
+	gimptool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@	\
 	gimp-debug-resume
 
 gimp_debug_resume_SOURCES = gimp-debug-resume.c
@@ -21,12 +20,6 @@ else
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = gimptool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
 
-if PLATFORM_OSX
-bin_PROGRAMS += gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
-else
-libexec_PROGRAMS = gimp-debug-tool-@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@
-endif
-
 endif
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = test-clipboard
@@ -34,29 +27,6 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = test-clipboard
 EXTRA_PROGRAMS = \
 	kernelgen
 
-gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_SOURCES = \
-	gimp-debug-tool.c			\
-	../app/widgets/gimpcriticaldialog.h	\
-	../app/widgets/gimpcriticaldialog.c	\
-	../app/gimp-version.h			\
-	../app/gimp-version.c
-
-gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-DCC_VERSION=\""$(CC_VERSION)"\"	\
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/app			\
-	-I$(top_builddir)/app			\
-	$(AM_CPPFLAGS)				\
-	$(GIO_CFLAGS)				\
-	$(GEGL_CFLAGS)				\
-	$(GTK_CFLAGS)				\
-	$(FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS)
-
-gimp_debug_tool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_LDADD = \
-	$(GIO_LIBS)		\
-	$(GEGL_LIBS)		\
-	$(GTK_LIBS)		\
-	$(FONTCONFIG_LIBS)
-
 
 gimptool_@GIMP_TOOL_VERSION@_SOURCES = gimptool.c